Eastleigh Farm in Framingham buys more time

Friday

Mar 28, 2014 at 6:30 AMMar 28, 2014 at 10:37 AM

By Danielle AmedenDaily News Staff

FRAMINGHAM Ė Eastleigh Farm says it staved off foreclosure Thursday, again buying more time before the mortgage holder auctions off†the Northside dairy.Farm owner Doug Stephan said a last-minute agreement continued a scheduled auction for the second time in just under six months.Attorney James McGinley, representing Farm Credit East, which was set to foreclose on the 112-acre Edmands Road farm and Grove Street homestead,†said this morning the auction is continued to May 29.Stephan said he showed he has gained strong community support following the tragic barn collapse that killed eight of his cows."We had very generous donations from people all around the state, all around the country," Stephan said.And Stephan said heís hopeful annual Town Meeting will support two zoning articles that could help him save the farm.Planners have refined the proposals for cluster development and transferred development rights since the fall special Town Meeting.Stephan said he feels the town supports open space and, since the barn collapse, residents now appreciate that thereís a working dairy farm in the community."Iím thankful that people seem to know, and I guess itís from the never-too-late-department, people feel that there is a reason to save the farm," Stephan said.Danielle Ameden can be reached at 508-626-4416 or dameden@wickedlocal.com. Follow her on Twitter @damedenMW.